Eminence Front
by Gretchen loves Reese
Summary: So this story is about how the stakeout should have ended in Til Death. We get to find out John's answer to Joss and how things go from there. "Joss laughed softly. He sure knew how to crack jokes with her. She even received a small grin from John in response, a person who hardly showed any emotion or reaction." Open up, read, and enjoy! :D


Author's Note: Before this fic gets started, I just wanted to give a HUGE shout out to iHeartShules. She has been such an inspiration, and help to me while writing this fic. I probably wouldn't have gone through with this if it wasn't for her. I'm so blessed to have an amazing mentor like her so thanks Stacey you are awesome! Read and Review please they honestly make my day. :) Now without further ado I give you Eminence Front.

Disclaimer: I don't own Person of Interest, but I really wish they'd hire me to do anything for them.

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As Joss Carter opened the door to Finch's black Lincoln Town Car, John looked upon the Drake couple with his spy glass. She sat down and closed the door then handed a steaming cup of coffee to Reese while holding her own in hand.

"Mr. Drake doing anything he shouldn't?" Carter asked.

"He's working like everything's normal. Like he didn't hire an ex-con to kill his wife." John said as he put away the single ocular.

"Yeah, Fusco says the misses is hard at work too." Joss drank her coffee while watching the windows at the Drake estate.

Then John turned his head back to Joss making eye contact with her big brown eyes, "How did two people go from bring in love to wanting each other dead?"

Carter bobbed her head and replied, "Being in love is one thing, being married, a whole different animal. Those vows change everything." She took another sip of her coffee.

Reese smirked at her, "Which one? Till Death do us part?"

Joss laughed softly. He sure knew how to crack jokes with her. She even received a small grin from John in response, a person who hardly showed any emotion or reaction.

"Yeah, something like that." She turned to look back at the Drake's windows. "One day you're married to your soul mate, then you watch them turn into someone else. Sometimes you're so in love with who a person was you can't bring yourself to love who they've become."

John's eyes caught her attention once again and she turned to look at him in her seat. John seemed different tonight. He seemed more, open? Was that the word? Joss was starting to warm up inside at the thought, but she knew she had to be cautious with John. He didn't show this side of him very often and she didn't want it to make an early departure.

He then took a quick glance out the window and turned back to her. "You ever think about moving on?"

"Like dating?" Carter paused as Reese's eyes showed a nervous look. "Sure, in my spare time, like when I'm not being a single mom, or a homicide detective." She glanced at him raising a brow. "Or whatever this is." Joss was surprised John was asking these type of questions. These were the things he usually avoided. She made a small grin and closed her eyes for a moment then opened them with a knowing glance. "What about you?"

He took a moment to think about how he wanted to respond then taking a deep breath he decided to answer her question more seriously then he thought he would. "Well I think I have been moving on a little bit everyday. Ever since Harold has given me this job things have been turning around for me." John paused then said, "I actually feel, happy."

"You do seem happier, John. You seem more content with where you are and relaxed with your current situation. I'm really glad for you. I remember how worried I was about you when we first met, you seemed so lost then." Those blue sapphires had sucked her in the moment they exchanged words, but behind the pools of blue she knew there was a story to be told. From that day forward she still hadn't recovered from them. But she'd learned more of that back story just from those eyes because his words wouldn't do them justice.

"I was lost until Harold found me."

She nodded at John accepting his answer, but wishing he would change it. With that being said, tonight was a special night. John seemed to be more open to responding to her questions, so maybe she could get an answer she was looking for. "John, do you think you're ready to move on to another woman, I know how much Jessica meant to you, but are you ever going to be ready to try again?"

"Why, Joss, you want to be that woman?" his half attempt at flirtation sounded down right bad even to his ears.

"Maybe I do," she teased back.

"Is that so?" He made a quick smirk then took a drink of his coffee. "Well in that case I should probably let you know I have moved on from her. It hasn't been easy, believe me, but I've accepted it."

"What about you, Joss, could you handle someone like me?" John asked the question like he was teasing the detective, but he was genuinely curious to see how she would respond.

Carter's eyes met his, staring intensely as if searching his soul, he wasn't sure what she was hoping to find, but whatever it was it seemed she had. A soft smile filled her face as Carter moved her hand to lightly touch his arm. His eyes drifted down at her hand. They rarely touched, this was unexpected but not unpleasant. "Yeah, I think I could handle The Man in the Suit. I mean you've gone through a lot, John, so I wouldn't expect things to be easy, the best things never are, but I know you like no one else seems to."

John lifted his eyes back to her face. Her words were honest, all hint of teasing and easy flirting gone. What started out as harmless conversation and teasing amongst friends seemed to have changed, the air in the car thickened with an almost electric charge to it, and he felt this pull towards Joss. It was heavy, powerful, and nearly overwhelming. She was unlike any woman he ever met before, she challenged him, angered him, made him laugh and she truly cared for him. Just like he cared for her. It felt like he had been fighting what he was feeling for a long time now, maybe she had been doing the same thing. Maybe they didn't need to fight it anymore.

John grabbed her hand from his arm and held it gently all the while never looking away from her eyes. The warm, dark depths flickered to his lips, John felt unable to resist her allure as his head inched to hers. He was so close he could smell her jasmine perfume. _This is it, he told himself. This is what you've wanted, but haven't let yourself have. _Just centimeters from her lips, his eyes closing... a phone started ringing.

Disappointment ran through his veins. It wasn't his, it was Joss'. She pulled herself away from John and he released her hand. Carter grabbed her phone and tapped it on placing it near her ear.

"Hello?" she asked softly.

"Hey Cal," she paused listening to him then said, "yeah, I'll be on my way." Joss hung up then looked to John whose face was back looking out the window, his fist on his chin.

"John, can you handle the rest of this without me?"

He turned his head slightly not giving her eye contact. "Sure, Carter."

A new wash of disappointment flooded her body, she could feel John pulling away from her and placing more distance between them. She could see it in his refusal to look at her, and heard it with 'Carter.' She was back to being Carter again.

She noticed the way he used her names. Detective was used for casual conversation when John was calling her about a person he needed info about. Joss was the name he used when they were talking alone just like they were a few minutes ago, or when they were in a highly intense situation. It was a special name for him to use for her, whenever his warm voice spoke 'Joss' she felt a butterfly inside her start to flutter. But Carter, the one he used now, was the one he said when he was upset with her, when he was too frustrated to say what he was thinking, or otherwise for ordinary talk. By calling her Carter it was just like John telling her he'd put his guard back up.

"All right." she said somberly as she stepped out of the car taking one last glance at John as she walked away.

What was he doing almost kissing her? She was his closest friend but more importantly, a woman who deserved so much more then he could ever give her. He was confused though, she seemed to have shared the same overwhelming feeling that they needed this kiss more then their next breath. John sat quietly trying to swallow back his emotions inside the town car. He watched as the woman that was constantly on his mind walked off into the chilly New York night.

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Thank you so much for reading! I love all of you irrelevants especially the Careesers out there! R&R And once again thank you sooooo much Stacey, I owe you sooooo much! :D Chapter 2 coming soon... When I have time to write it between school and the new season coming out! Cheers


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